How do we meet the Paris climate goals when the rich are still spending? The wealthiest 1 per cent of the world produce more emissions than the poorest 50 per cent
The rich are reckless consumers – and no, it isn’t just us who’s saying this. According to a new report, the most affluent are at the heart of the climate problem. “The combined emissions of the richest 1 per cent of the global population account for more than the poorest 50 per cent. This group will need to reduce its footprint by at least a factor of 30 to stay in line with the Paris Agreement targets.”
So says the UK-based Cambridge Sustainability Commission on Scaling Behaviour Change in their sobering report entitled “Changing Our Ways? Behaviour Change and the Climate Crisis”, compiled by 31 environmental impact experts who are looking for ways to scale up actions to tackle carbon emissions.
According to the study, between 1990 and 2015, the world’s wealthiest 5 per cent contributed 37 per cent of overall emissions growth, with the top 1 per cent contributing the most. While also stating that governments and industries be held to account for their actions that have built the economic system we live in, the report suggested that people be deterred from frequent flying and driving SUVs, and should be required to better insulate their homes.
On the government side, it urged the UK government, for example, to restore air passenger duties on UK return flights and the recently scrapped Green Homes Grant scheme. A popular view among those opposed to such action though is that emissions would be better cut by means of technological advances and not unpopular restrictions and regulations.
Commenting on this, Conservative Environment Network director Sam Hall said, “Policy could make it easier for people and businesses to go green – through incentives, targeted regulation and nudges. But encouraging clean technologies is likely to be more effective, and more likely to enjoy public consent, than hefty penalties or lifestyle restrictions.”
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This article originally appeared on LuxuryLaunches
- Cambridge Sustainability Commission on Scaling Behaviour Change issued a biting report entitled “Changing Our Ways? Behaviour Change and the Climate Crisis”
- Between 1990 and 2015, the world’s wealthiest 5 per cent contributed 37 per cent of overall emissions growth – now we need them scale back their energy use